As often travel to south of Thai, learn something new today.
Often ask Thai friend did you visit Betong or Yala it's beautiful. Most will tell you "booming" scare...
Here is a probably better explanation what happen century back.
Before 1909 years, Pattani is a Muslim country. Satun, Songkhla, Narathiwat and Yala belong to the Pattanese!
[Patani in the Bangkok Period]
Bunga mas, the tribute sent every three years to the Siamese ruler in Bangkok as symbol of friendship by the ruler of Patani. The sending of the Bunga mas began in the 14th century.
Pattani was easily defeated by Siam in 1785 and resumed its tributary status. However, a series of attempted rebellions prompted Bangkok to divide Pattani into seven smaller Puppet kingdoms in the early 1800s during the reign of King Rama II. Britain recognised the Thai ownership of Pattani by treaty in 1909. Yala and Narathiwat remain separate provinces to this day.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pattani_Kingdom
